Referendum promises made to shipyard workers must be kept

Our shipbuilding industry has a proud history and the workers on the Clyde have unparalleled skills and experience – and they were made a series of promises by the Tories and Labour during the referendum about the future of their yards.

Workers won a contract for 13 Type 26 frigates and have already had to watch that be cut back to only eight vessels by the UK Government. Now there are doubts over the timetable for these vessels and for other work due to come to the Clyde – which trade unions warn could lead to a loss of up to 800 jobs.

We already know that David Cameron is trying to avoid Scotland during this election campaign – but he can’t avoid his obligation to the workers on the Clyde. And he owes it to them to give a cast-iron commitment that this contract will be delivered in full, and on the promised timescale, with no job losses.

That’s why today I’ve written to David Cameron making absolutely clear that he needs to fulfill his promises to the industry – and that anything less would be an absolute betrayal of the commitments made to the workforce.

While keeping up the pressure on the UK Government, the SNP will also continue to work closely with BAE and the trade unions to support the yard – and we will continue to give them our full support over the coming months, as we do everything we can to support Scottish industry.

The Tory government – backed up by the Labour party – made a clear, unequivocal promise to Scottish shipworkers – and SNP MPs at Westminster and a re-elected SNP Government in Holyrood will do everything we can to ensure they live up to that promise.